The Healing Process
by tomoyamisuru
Summary: Rivetra AU. Levi has been confined to his bed for years, his damaged spine preventing him from seeing anything but mundane grey walls and medicine bottles. However, when the bright and sunny Petra Ral starts leaving him flowers, his life seems to take a turn for the better.
1. Chapter 1

The days trickled by so slowly it was like a blur. Different faces, names, words, medicines, addresses, emails, appointments. All of them blurring together into a grey fuzz of nothing. There was nothing colourful.

Levi sighed in annoyance. Hanji was late again. At least she had bothered to message him first this time, and he had received a crazed message from her earlier, in the usual Hanji style.

"_Sorry but I'll be late today! Moblit found another fault in that new boiler thingy, so we tried to fix it and things got a bit hectic! Should be there around 11? Thanks_!"

It was now 11:39, Levi grumbled to himself as he tried to stretch out to reach his phone. Just a bit more…got it. He sighed again, looking down at the expanse of white sheets encasing him. It was so suffocating. Everything was.

Flipping open his phone, his hand vibrated slightly at the sudden barrage of messages arriving on his phone. He scrolled mindlessly through the messages, smirking slightly at all the random ones from Hanji updating him on her latest antics. His fingers paused over the last message. Feeling a dead weight reappearing in his chest, he opened the message. It was from his doctor.

"Levi. The date for the operation has been decided; all we need now is the ok from you. Please reply as soon as you can, as long as you feel up to it. From, Dr Erwin"

The dead weight seemed too increase in size. He resolved to ignore the message for now. He would reply, of course. Just not now. Throwing his phone aside and burying himself under the duvet, Levi tried to get back to sleep. He felt the ache in his chest, swelling up into each and every part of his body, it felt like he was being strangled from the inside, heat rushing over his body, followed by cold ice-

"LEVI!"

He bolted upright, disconcerted, his loose white shirt sticking to his back with cold sweat. He straightened up and tried to compose himself, eyeing the door warily.

It burst open suddenly, making him jump, and a whirlwind of brown hair was all he could see, as his temporary housekeeper, and best friend, encircled him in a hug, squeezing the life out of him.

"Hanji, what the-" He spluttered, his arms flailing helplessly against his ambusher. A few more seconds of hugging, before she released him and took a step back, her matted brown hair pulled in a messy ponytail and her glasses askew on her face.

Hanji stood before him, grinning apologetically.

"So sorry I'm late!" She apologised, but her tone was contrary to the wide grin on her face.

Levi glared at her. "Nothing unusual there, weirdo." He said this in his usual deadpan voice, but a quirk of his eyebrows told Hanji he was pleased to see her. Her smile grew even larger, if that was possible.

There was a pause as Hanji surveyed him, her sharp eyes taking note of his messy hair, the sheen of sweat across his forehead, her grin now replaced with an unusually serious look.

Levi averted his eyes. He knew what was coming.

"Did...you receive the message then?" She asked tentatively. "The one from Dr Erwin?"

"Not yet." He lied smoothly. Hanji still looked at him doubtfully, but pressed the matter no further. She knew him too well for that.

"Well then!" Hanji was grinning again, as if nothing had happened. She was good at doing that, and Levi had to work hard to suppress his smile. She looked at him quickly, with a hint of worry, before turning her attention to the surrounding room. "Lets see then...you've managed to keep it clean, huh?"

"Of course." Levi replied, his voice slightly smug.

"Well I'm not complaining! Less work for me, eh?" She laughed. "Any requests for breakfast, your majesty? You can have the usual, but I also bought some eggs, so you could have pancakes, or waffles! Unless your stomach's playing up again, in which case I've got some fruit somewhere..." She reeled through the options, ticking them off on her fingers one by one.

"The usual is fine" He was starting to feel his stomach growling, and Hanji was known to faff about and experiment when it came to cooking. He didn't feel like another bout of food poisoning.

"The usual it is then! Oh, and Levi, I bought you a change of clothes, so you change while I make the food, 'kay?" She winked at him before walking out the door, humming a little tune as she went.

"She forgot to shut the door." Levi thought in annoyance, before diverting his attention to the bundle of clothes on the floor. He wished she had put them closer. He stretched toward the floor, feeling his back scream in protest. He jerked back. He could change later, he told himself.

This was the worst part about it all. He just felt so _pathetic_. God knows how he would've survived without Hanji: He was sure nobody else would be able to put up with his bad temper and unreasonable demands. Sinking further into the soft pillows, he closed his eyes. How long had it been now? He couldn't even remember the last time he had gone down from the top floor of his house. If he strained his neck, he could almost see outside- but not quite. He didn't want to damage his spine even more.

When he woke, it was pitch black. Groggily, he sat up and felt something fall off the bed with a soft thump. He fumbled for the light switch. It flickered on, and the sudden burst of light made him recoil. Blinking, he looked around. Hanji must have left hours ago. He looked around for the source of the "thump". A pile of clothes sat on the floor, a plastic bag sitting next to it. Hooking the handles of the bag with his toe, he managed to lift it up. It smelt funny. Opening it with caution, he peered inside, and relaxed. An innocent-looking wrapped sandwich lay in the bag with a folded note.

He opened the note, and at once recognised the sprawling handwriting.

"Levi, I left you some sandwiches, that should last you until morning right? If not, give me a call and I'll pop back round and whip something up. Also, I contacted Dr Erwin and he said he had sent you a message? I thought you said he didn't, what's going on? Hanji."

He had been found out. Well, she was bound to find out sooner or later. Hanji had a knack for figuring things out, and over the years he had learned that keeping secrets from her was pointless.

He may as well go back to sleep. Nothing else he could do, really.

Just before he turned out the light however, he spotted something on his bedside table. A something that looked very out of place in comparison to his drab bedroom.

Flowers.

Pretty ones at that, a mass of golden yellow, a spot of colour amid the grey surroundings.

He picked them up cautiously. Why where these here? Was it Hanji's doing? No, she would have shoved them in his face, or tied them above his head or arranged them in some weird way, Hanji-style.

A few soft petals fell onto the sheets, as Levi stared at the small flowers with bewilderment.

Putting them back on his table, he decided to interrogate Hanji about them tomorrow. Lying back down, he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, the sandwich lying forlornly on his bedside table.

They had smelt nice, too.

* * *

><p>Notes:<p>

This is my first attempt at writing a fic, so feel free to leave criticism!

Yay for Rivetra AU's ^^ Also, sorry if Levi and Petra are a bit OOC in this .


	2. Chapter 2: Auburn

The hammering of rain on the window was what first caused Levi to stir. Opening his eyes slowly, the first thing he laid eyes on was his bedside table. The flowers were still there. He hadn't been dreaming? Sitting up, he looked around the room and frowned. Speaking of dreams...

His frown deepened as he tried to remember what he dreamt of last night. Even though he probably shouldn't, he could not help but try to remember the nightmares that had caused him to thrash around in his sleep, which he had done, judging by the state of his bed.

He was shaken from his thoughts by a violent hammering against his door.

It was too early for this.

"Just get in here Hanji, you don't need to break the door down." He said with annoyance.

The door burst open with force only Hanji could be capable of, and even from the mass of sheets that was his once tidy bed, he could feel the room shake.

"Hanji." He addressed the woman responsible for this early morning disruption, now walking over to him carrying a tray of something or other. "Please refrain from knocking the house down. We don't want a repeat of last time, do we?"

"Why are you always so grumpy?" The bespectacled woman complained as she placed the mysterious tray on his lap.

"I was perfectly fine until you and your earthquake showed up." He eyed the tray. "What is this."

"Your breakfast, of course" Hanji looked pleased about something.

"It looks...different"

"It is. I didn't make it"

"That must be why it looks edible" Levi quipped, smirking at the indignation on Hanji's face. Ignoring her muttered retort, he proceeded to examine the breakfast tray.

It looked...good, surprisingly.

"Who made it?" He asked, the frown back on his face. That fruit salad looked good. "You bought it, didn't you?" He said accusingly, poking at a strawberry with his fork.

"Nope, it is homemade! Just not by me."

"Just tell me, I don't have the patience for your guessing games."

"Hmm... I wonder if I should..." She was stalling. Levi was starting to get irritated.

"Hanji. Tell. Me."

Hanji smiled mischievously and wagged a finger at him. "I'm sure she'll come up and see you in a minute anyway"

"She?" Levi wanted to ask, but he wasn't going to play this little game anymore. Hanji should go find her own entertainment instead of teasing a poor little invalid like himself.

"Whatever." He responded, and turned his attention back to the tray of food.

"Boring." Hanji pouted.

It tasted as good as it looked, he mused, taking a bite of pancake.

A glance to his side reminded him of those unexplainable flowers.

"Oh yeah, Hanji there was something I wanted to ask you about." He pulled himself away from the breakfast and looked at her expectantly. "Was it you that left those flowers? The ones on the table, I mean."

"Flowers?" She looked confused.

"You heard me. The ones on the bedside table."

Still looking confused, she turned to see the mysterious bundle of yellow petals. They were wilting, Levi noticed to his dismay.

"Flowers..."

Get those gears turning Hanji, that's it.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, snapping her fingers. He could practically see the light bulb flashing over her head.

Nodding, she turned to him. "Must've been Petra."

"Petra." His voice was icy.

"That's how you say it."

Levi glared at her. "Would you so kindly tell me as to why 'Petra' was placing flowers so lovingly on my bedside table in the early hours of the evening?" His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Don't be so mean! Petra's lovely." Levi was surprised at the scolding tone in her voice, but of course he did not show it.

"I'm sure she is. You haven't answered my question." Still sarcastic.

"Well..." Hanji paused, frowning. "I guess you could call her a family friend? She lives near me, and when I told her about the 'housework' I was doing for you, she offered to help out. That's about it really."

"Why didn't you tell me there was some stranger in my house?" Hanji really was the most carefree person he had ever met.

"I dunno, it just sort of slipped my mind I guess..." She looked lost in thought.

She seemed to come to her senses, changing her activity to staring intently at him. "You don't mind do you?"

"As long as she stays out the way, not really." He knew he sounded harsh, but how else was he going to reply?

"Thought not."

"Hmph. I assume this Petra is also the 'she' you were referring to earlier? So she made the breakfast?"

"That would be her, yes."

"Hmm..." Petra, huh...The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before...

"She's a good cook, right!" Hanji was back to normal.

"She's better than you, in any case." He avoided the question expertly. "Not bad, Petra... Maybe I should hire you as a housekeeper instead of Hanji..." He thought to himself. But really...he was only half joking.

It was only when he was settling back into the pillows as Hanji bustled around the room setting things to order, that he realised he never found out why she had left the flowers. Well, whatever. Any friend of Hanji's was bound to be odd after all. But still...

The tentative knock on the door surprised them both this time.

Levi watched the door as Hanji straightened up, her arms full of laundry.

"Yes?" Hanji called.

There was no reply.

"You can come in!" Hanji called, louder this time.

The door opened, and Levi watched as a small figure appeared around the door.

Hanji was in front of the door, so Levi couldn't see who it was, but he already had a good idea about who it would be.

"Petra! You came up after all!" Hanji said happily, moving out the way, so Levi could see the full view of the person.

She wasn't very tall, shorter than him even, but she somehow still managed to have a big presence in this cold room.

Her big hazel eyes looked apprehensive, and this was shown even more as he watched her fingers play with a strand of short auburn hair. The same colour as the flowers she left him, he noted.

Silence.

"Well... this is awkward"

Ah, Hanji. Always knew just how to start a conversation.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" It was bugging Levi how about how nervous she looked. Was there something on his face? Glancing in the mirror opposite his bed, he was unpleasantly surprised at the glare on his face. Did he really look this menacing? No wonder she was frightened.

"But surely you know each others names? Is that really necessa-?"

"Hanji." A very irked Levi cut her off.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Levi, Petra. Petra, Levi. Happy?"

"Nice to meet you Petra."

"Nice to meet you too" She sounded embarrassed for some reason, and she kept looking at the floor, or her fingers which were still tangled in her hair. He frowned again.

"Can I ask you something?" Levi asked her. He knew he should probably wait, but Levi hated beating about the bush.

She nodded swiftly and glanced at him, before her eyes went back to being fixated on the floor. She looked like she wanted to leave.

"Why did you leave those flowers?" He saw Hanji turn away, her hand on her head. He could practically feel the waves of exasperation being emitted from her.

Well, it was her fault for not explaining earlier.

Petra, meanwhile, had gone a fascinating shade of red. Now she kept looking at the door. It was annoying him. Nothing was keeping her here; she could leave anytime she wanted

However, when she spoke, she didn't sound nervous or embarrassed. She sounded pleased that he had asked, or rather, that he wanted to know at all.

"Your room looked plain. I thought that all people liked their rooms colourful, especially if you never come out of it. You're ill, right?"

Levi stared at her, and Hanji turned round, looking from Petra to Levi worriedly. That was far too blunt, to put it lightly.

Levi, however didn't mind. Liked it, even.

He was far too used to being treated as a dying child, and hated the way everything was sugar-coated before given to him. Even his painkillers were orange flavoured.

"Orange..." He thought. The medicine, the flowers, and somehow, this girl seemed to emit a vivid golden orange-ness.

A hand was thrust in front of his face. Petra's face still regained that same brilliant red, but the hand she extended to him was small and pale and freckly.

He held her hand with his cold one, unsure of what else she wanted him to do. Her hand was warm. Levi was surprised that she didn't flinch at the contrast in their temperatures.

"You didn't shake my hand before." She explained.

"Ah."

"Yeah."

He released her hand after a long pause, a small part of him missing the warmth of her small hand.

"Nice meeting you, Petra."

"Nice meeting you too, Levi," She smiled, and it seemed to show on her whole face.

He tried to return the smile, and looked at her uncertainly.

She laughed now, crinkles appearing near her eyes.

"You should smile more." She told him, "You have a nice smile."

"You got a nice smile too."


	3. Chapter 3: Chocolate

Levi had been sick ever since Hanji had first met him.

She can't even remember a time when he was any different to how he is now.

Maybe that was just how he'd always been, but Hanji wasn't so sure. There was just something about those tired eyes that made her think there was something else he had been through, aside from being confined to a small bedroom with that deadly spine of his.

Levi had been around 13 or so when the accident happened. The damage to his spine had affected the nerve fibres, causing the muscle and nerves around the injured site to be affected. That was as much as she knew.

He hadn't been able to walk since, and even though Doctors like Erwin were trying to find a way to fix him; she knew Levi had already given up.

When she had met him, it had been 3 years after the accident. She supposed he had been worse then, with the accident so fresh in his mind.

She thought she had never met anyone who seemed so _helpless_.

Still, being as curious as she is, his standoffish and rude personality intrigued her. Wanting to help him, she had visited him again and again in that small hospital room, until he eventually began to open up to her a bit more, talk a little more each visit, seem a little happier.

However, there was only so much she could help him with.

It was around that time she had met Petra. She had met her before of course; their families had been friends for years after all.

She reminded Hanji of someone she knew.

Not long after that, Hanji became Levi's 'housekeeper." Well, only because all the others had quit due to his sharp tongue and high expectations.

Petra was surprised to hear from Hanji a few weeks later, telling Petra she had her hands full with juggling 9 to 5 a job as well as working temporarily at a friends, so would Petra be so kind as to help her occasionally?

To Hanji's delight, a sympathetic Petra had agreed.

"So, come to number xxx in xxxxxxx apartments this Friday?" Hanji had asked excitably.

"Sure"

*Levi POV*

"Heh."

The flowers were purple this time, a soft violet. Levi examined them, a strange feeling in his chest.

She kept bringing them, everyday a new colour. Levi had no knowledge of flowers whatsoever, so he couldn't distinguish the types, but they were always pretty.

"Huh? You don't even know what this type is?" Petra had turned to stare at him with disbelief, one hand grasping the bunch of small, chocolate brown flowers, and the other holding one of his shirts.

"No, I told you befo -watch it!"

Her sharp turn had almost toppled over the ironing board in the process, and she let out a small "Oh!" of surprise, before tripping over a pair of stray trousers, and landing flat on her back, the flowers scattered around her like little chocolate polka dots.

"OW!" She yelled grabbing her leg in apparent agony. "What th-ow! Ah! The board!" She panicked, trying to stand up and steady the board with her hand, but only succeeding to tangle herself up in laundry even further, and promptly fell onto her knees.

There was a pause while Petra tried to readjust herself. Levi could feel a bubbling sensation pass through his chest, but he suppressed it.

But then she looked at him, and the expression on her face was so bewildered and embarrassed-looking, Levi couldn't help it.

He laughed, and although the sound was rusty and unused, it still pleasantly surprised Petra, as she looked at him in shock, a strand of auburn hair lying across her face, her face that fascinating red colour that clashed so horribly with that vivid hair of hers.

She looked so ridiculous he laughed even harder. Still spluttering, he looked down at Petra, trying to compose himself.

"What's so funny? That hurt!" She demanded, still sitting on the floor.

"But your face!"

"Geez Levi! If I had know this would make you laugh so much I would have fallen over ages ago!" She still looked cross as she stood up, but her lips were twitching and soon as she was laughing as well.

The door opened.

"What on Earth are you two doing?"

They both stopped laughing immediately and straightened up.

Hanji stood at the doorway, looking both horrified and amazed as she looked at the scene before her.

* Hanji POV*

Laundry was strewn across the room, Petra in the midst of it, covered in an array of nut-brown petals , looking sheepish. But what was even more amazing was that Levi was laughing, or had been, and was looking flushed and, dare she say, happy, and wore the exact same sheepish face as Petra.

Hanji didn't want to disturb this little bubble of happiness, but...

Turning to Levi, she addressed him with the same serious tone as before.

"Levi, there's someone here to see you." Swivelling behind her, she called into the hallway.

"You can come in now."

A figure emerged from the shadowy hallway and Levi froze.

"Good afternoon Levi. It's been a while."

"Doctor Erwin..."

*Levi POV*

Petra was looking between the two, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

Hanji tapped Petra on her shoulder, whispering something in her ear, and the two left the room, shutting the door quietly behind them, leaving Levi alone with dr. Erwin. He really wished they hadn't.

The tall blonde Doctor was the first one to speak.

"Levi, I need to talk with you in person, seeing as you showed no signs of replying to my messages." He sounded vaguely annoyed, but if he was, his face didn't show it.

Levi felt sick and tired and dizzy. He didn't want to deal with this now.

"I forgot." He said emotionlessly.

"I see." His tone was disapproving now, and Levi felt like a child under his imposing stare.

He continued. "Well, let's get straight to the point then. The operation in the US has been confirmed, and you are free to travel over for it as soon as you wish. It's entirely up to you, of course."

No, it isn't up to me. Stop lying.

"Levi? Could you answer me please? We're trying to help you, you know that, don't you?"

Stop it.

"I don't really care when the operation is. Fly me over there whenever you like."

"Are you sure? You don't have to rush this you know."

"Like I said, it's fine." Levi was raising his voice now.

There was a murmur from outside.

"Well...if you are certain, then we can get a time as soon as possible. I'll send over some forms you need to sign, as well as the plane tickets when we get it sorted out."

"Fine."

"Hanji can organise things, I presume?"

"Yes." His voice was definitely raised now.

The muffled conversation outside the door grew louder.

"Are you okay Levi? Is your back hurting? Should I get your medic-"

"Like I said, I'm fine!" Levi shouted, his voice hostile.

At this, the door swung open with a bang, revealing a very angry looking Petra. Hanji stood behind her, furiously signalling her to go back outside, but Petra took no notice whatsoever. She strode into the room, ignoring Hanji's groan of frustration, and went to stand in front of Levi. She faced Doctor Erwin, her arms spread funnily, almost as if she was protecting Levi.

"Oi, Petra, what are yo-" Hissed Hanji from the doorway.

"I don't know what you said to him, but please leave, you're making him upset." Her voice sounded higher than usual, and Levi could see she was shaking slightly.

"I beg your pardon? I wasn't tryin-"

"Please just leave! Can't you see you're upsetting him?" She sounded panicked now. Levi watched her without saying anything.

Erwin looked offended. He shot a glance at an exasperated Hanji, who just shrugged.

"Alright then. Levi, please contact me again? You can't run away from this you know."

With those last words of wisdom, dr. Erwin left, Hanji behind him, gesturing silently at Petra and Levi, and you could practically hear her going "Idiots! Idiots! What the Hell do you think you're doing?"

They left, and Petra shuddered and sat down, putting her face in her hands.

"Just what am I doing..." She murmured, her eyes closed, resentment plastered all over her face.

"Thanks for just now." He couldn't think of anything else to say.

She looked at him with incredulity.

"Huh? Are you insane? I just messed everything up!" She wailed at Levi.

"No you didn't."

"I did! That was an important meeting! And I was so rude to Dr. Erwin!"

"Mm."

She sighed.

"I really am sorry." She muttered into her sleeve.

"Just drop it already will you?"

"I need to apologise..."

"You don't need to apologise to anyone, so don't worry. Erwin is not the type of guy to be upset about something like that. He probably gets it all the time."

"You think?"

"Yeah."

"That's good then..."

She still looked upset. Levi frowned: that look did not suit her at all.

"Come here."

"Huh?"

"I said come here."

"Okay then..." She shuffled awkwardly towards him.

He reached up and patted her head.

"Eh! What-"

"Just stay still for a bit, will you?"

She squirmed, but did not protest any further. Her hair was really soft, he thought.

"You don't need to apologise anymore." He told her. "I was losing it back there. If you hadn't burst in like that, who knows what I would have done. Or said, rather."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. You looked pretty cool back there you know, protecting me and all that."

He was teasing her now, and Petra flushed in anger and embarrassment.

"I don't know! I wasn't gonna punch him or anything, so that just seemed like the best option!" She decided, nodding her head as if she approved her own comeback.

Her expressions were so genuine, he thought, watching her flail about, rambling on about this that and the other.

She quietened down after a while, and lay her head on the edge of the bed, all of a sudden seeming exhausted. He patted her head until she fell asleep, right there.

There were still petals everywhere, and his once clean bedroom was now littered with laundry. Well, there was no point in waking her up now. It could wait, he decided, and thinking this, he lay down to sleep, his hand still stroking Petra's hair.

* * *

><p><strong>I logged on this morning and saw I had more follows, reviews, and even a favourite on this story! Thank you so much!<strong>

**Aha so sorry if Levi and Petra are OOC in this. I wanted to see what would happen if Levi was the weaker one in the pairing, so they ended up a bit like this ^^; But yay for Autumn! Rivetra AU's with big sweaters and Halloween themes, what could be better.**

**I've actually written up to chapter 7, but I haven't posted them yet because I'll be busy the next few weeks, but this way I can still update XD**

**Thanks again, and sorry this is such a slow build-up, but I really really love slow ****build-up ok!**


	4. Chapter 4: Olive

Sunlight steamed through the curtains, illuminating the room in a grey light.

Levi's eyes opened slowly and shivered. The room was freezing.

His hand, on the contrary, was on something warm and soft and out of place.

Looking down, he saw Petra asleep, resting her head on the edge of the bed, snoring softly

She hadn't moved all night, he realized in amazement. This girl sure slept soundly.

He looked around.

He tried to move his arm out from underneath her. She stirred, muttering to herself. She really looked quite peaceful there.

This wasn't good.

He tried to maneuver his arm so her head was resting on the pillow. She stirred again, and pressed her head further up his arm.

That didn't work either.

"Oi Petra."

He tapped her hand. It was icy cold. She didn't have a blanket, he noticed.

"Wake up."

Still nothing.

"You'll catch a cold."

"Get the flu then. Fine by me."

He leaned in, until his face was hovering just inches away from her ear.

"Boo."

"Gyah!" Petra bolted upright, a look of pure terror on her face.

Unfortunately for her, "upright", also meant Levi's chin.

Their skulls collided with a thud, and Levi groaned and moved away, putting his hand on his chin. That was going to leave a bruise.

"Oh God! What did I do now? Wait wasn't that your fault? Why was your head right above me? Huh? Why am I here?"

"Shut it Petra, the whole street can hear you." Levi nursed his bruised chin, wincing slightly.

She shut it.

"Err. You okay? I didn't break anything did I?"

"Don't worry. I've had worse problems than being hit with your overly ossified skull."

"I guess."

There was a pause as Levi continued rubbing his chin. Petra stood there awkwardly.

"You want me to get some ice for that?"

"It'll live."

"If you say so. Why were you leaning above my head?" She asked, suspicious now.

"You wouldn't wake up."

"Was I asleep there the whole night?'

"Unless you went walkies while you were asleep, then yes, you were there all night."

"Woah. That must be why I'm so cold."

"Congratulations with your discovery."

"Has anyone ever told you that your sense of humour sucks?" She sounded irked.

"Nope."

"Well it does."

"You still look cold."

"Congratulations on your discovery." She mimicked.

He looked at her testily. "There's a sweater in the wardrobe you can use."

"Thanks."

She went to get the sweater. Her hands reached for the bottom drawer.

"Wrong drawer."

She turned round with a smirk on her face.

"Why, is that where you keep your underwear?"

"Just shut up and open the top drawer."

"You really have got no sense of humour." She muttered.

She fished around in the drawer, and pulled out a big green sweater.

"That one will be too big for you."

"Doesn't matter. I like green."

Levi wasn't surprised. "I like it too."

She pulled it over her head, and Levi had to stifle a laugh. It dwarfed her completely; it must've been about 4 sizes too big.

"Told you."

"Yeah, yeah. All my sweaters are too big. They're more comfy that way, right." She really did look tiny, cocooned in the olive-green jumper. However, the look suited her. It was strangely endearing.

She walked back over to him, but Levi thought something was a bit off.

She was wobbling ever so slightly, and her face was pale and sickly looking.

"You okay?" He was concerned.

"Yeah, fine..." Her voice sounded faint.

"No you're not. Tell me."

Petra sighed slightly, all her breath leaving her as her eyes glossed over somewhat. He watched the glossy eyes close, and she fainted with a loud crash.

"Petra! Oi!"

He bent over the edge of the bed to try to help her up, but his back screamed in protest, and still stretching out, his spine buckled, and he fell flat on his face, scrambling around in the sheets.

"Petra!" He yelled, panicking. She wasn't moving.

"Hanji! Help!"

No answer.

"HANJI!"

Damn it. _Damn it_.

He tried to slowly maneuver his way around to reach her. This approach seemed to work.

Tilting his waist, he stretched his arm out and succeeded in grabbing her arm.

He shook it. There was no response.

He pulled her onto her back, and tried to grab her shoulders so he could pull her up.

After about ten minutes of this, Levi managed to yank her up so she was lying across his lap awkwardly.

She looked like she was sleeping, but...

Now what.

She was still unconscious, and Levi had no idea what was wrong with her.

Her forehead was flushed, but that was about it. She couldn't have fainted from a mere fever, surely?

There was nothing else he could do. _Pathetic_, he thought to himself. You can't do anything to help her.

He stroked her hair slowly.

"Please wake up." He said to the room.

There was no reply.

* * *

><p><strong>This one is very short, sorry about that. I'll upload the next one quicker, 'kay? ;3<strong>

**I like how this is progressing, but eh, it still seems to rushed...Tell me what you think? ^^**

**Also, I'm still undecided about whether or not to include character deaths in this, but if I do they probably won't be canon.**

**Finally,(last note, I promise.) if you have any plot suggestions for later on, feel free to tell me because I honestly have no idea: I'm just kind of writing whatever comes into my head.**


	5. Chapter 5: Pale Pink

*Levi POV*

The girl looked more ghastly every minute, her face changing from a matt white, to a sickly green, a pretty pink, even a pale blue.

All he could do was watch as the colours changed.

He stroked her head, wiping the sweat back from her face, brushing her hair out her closed eyes.

It was an endless pattern, and it went on and on and on until Levi thought he couldn't stop even if he wanted to.

He tried to revive her again, nudging her gently with his elbow, prodding her cheek, tugging at the soft fabric of the borrowed sweater, but it made no difference.

He may as well have been trying to revive a corpse for all the difference it made.

Hours passed, dragging on, each minute feeling like a day.

And then, like a miracle, her shallow breathing seemed to ease.

A hazel eye opened blearily.

"Where...am I...?"

Levi stared at her blankly, unable to comprehend the fact that she had woken up. She had woken up!

"Hey, Levi...where a-oof!"

Levi had grasped her in a tight hug, knocking the breath out of her.

"Levi, what are yo-"

He pulled away from her, holding her shoulders at arms length, his eyes glazed with fury.

"What the _Hell_ did you think you were playing at?" He demanded angrily, shaking her shoulders.

"Let go! That hurts!" She sounded dizzy again. Well done, Levi. The poor girl had been unconscious, and as soon as she wakes up, you practically attack her? He cursed himself angrily.

He loosened his grip, and looked at her face carefully, examining her for any signs of threat. She was glistening slightly with sweat, and her eyes were hazy and unfocused, her lips dry and her auburn hair was all tangled from Levi stroking it. She still looked stunning, Levi thought.

He blushed slightly, and apologised to her.

"Sorry...I was just worried because you weren't waking up, and…" He trailed off.

"I wasn't waking up?" She sounded surprised. Levi looked at her incredulously.

"You were out for hours, remember?"

"No? Was I? What for?" She was being serious, Levi realised.

"Hey, you..." He sounded angry, but his tone was less serious now. "Don't just faint and then not know anything about it!"

"You were worried then?"

"..." He said nothing in reply, instead burying his head in her soft hair, pressing into her warmth.

"What are you doing?" She stuttered, overly-conscious of her current state of sweatiness, but let him stay there.

The sun streamed weakly through the window, warming the room, causing them both to fall asleep right there.

*Hanji POV*

She hadn't checked on Levi and Petra for a while, nor had she checked her phone for any messages from them. Hanji bit her lip as she rushed out the car, fumbling with her keys as she rushed inside.

"Levi? Petra!" She hollered, throwing her shoes aside and bounding upstairs.

The house was quiet. Not that that was unusual of course, but she had thought, with Petra there, maybe...

Reaching the last door in the hallway, she pushed it open, and poked her head around the side.

"_Oh_!" She, for the second time in two weeks, had witnessed a very surprising, and very un-Levi like scene.

They were both curled up, fast asleep, breathing heavily. Levi's head was resting on Petra's shoulder, and the latter had, in turn, had her hands wrapped around him.

Well, well, well. Wasn't this a rather shocking development, Hanji smirked to herself.

She frowned. What on Earth had brought this on? She walked over to the bed, and placed her hand on Petra's forehead. She withdrew her hand from the heat in horror.

"Petra, you're burning up!"

Petra eyes snapped open, looking a little cross at being woken up.

"Hanji?" She bolted up, her face flushing red with embarrassment. Or was it the fever? Whatever it was, she was too flushed for Hanji's comfort.

She had knocked Levi to the side by accident, but luckily for Hanji, he was still asleep.

"Petra, you have a fever, we need to cool you down." Hanji said firmly, scooping Petra up.

"Woah, Hanji, you're strong!" Petra was giggling, her eyes unfocused, silly from the fever.

"Come on then."

She carried Petra to the bathroom and sat her on the toilet seat. She was still giggling, but her eyes were more focused, and she could sit upright by herself. Looks like Hanji wouldn't have to bathe her, thank God.

Hanji started running a cold bath, humming as she went.

"Ah…it happened again…"

"What did?" Turning to face Petra, Hanji saw the girl looked thoughtful, daftness gone, biting her lower lip.

"That dizzy spell…" She trailed off, still biting her lip. She was going to draw blood in a minute, Hanji thought.

"Dizzy spell? What for?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but I've been getting them a lot recently." She admitted, turning to face Hanji, her eyebrows crinkled seriously into a frown. "I had one at my Dad's house the other day, it's weird, and I have no idea why I keep getting them…"

"Have you asked a Doctor? These things can be serious, you know!"

"I haven't had the time…"

"Well, how about you ask Erwin? He doesn't specialise in this kind of thing, but I'm sure he could recommend you a Doctor, or give you some advice!"

"Oh yes! I'll ask him about it then!" She smiled happily, and Hanji felt relieved as she turned her concentration back to the bathtub in front of her. But still…it was worrying. Hanji shuddered slightly at the idea of Petra contracting some sort of condition or illness. She knew what this type of thing could do to people, and the people around them as well. Even more so to the people who already had a condition of their own to cope with. She tried to push the negative thoughts from her mind and shook her head: Petra was going to be fine, she is fine at the moment, and there was really no point in worrying, she told herself firmly. Get a grip already, Hanji!

"Err…also…I'm not sure if I'm allowed to ask this, but what exactly is wrong with Levi?" Came a small voice from behind her.

Hanji jolted, her fingers slipping on the tap.

Petra's face was as flushed as ever, and she was still chewing her lip as she looked at the floor.

"Excuse me?"

"What's exactly is wrong with Levi?" Petra repeated, still focusing on the floor.

"I mean it's strange," She continued, eyes shifting nervously around the small bathroom. "He seems fine on some days, and on other days he can barely move. That's weird isn't it? Aren't these things supposed to be, well, consistent?"

Hanji looked at her for a second, before sighing and plopping down on the side of the bath.

"It's not just you." Hanji confessed, a crease appearing between her eyebrows. "I've seen it too. There are days when it's like...he's normal! He's fine! He doesn't even appear ill…

"Do you think...Okay, this sounds bad, but do you think he could've made it up? Not all of it, of course, but maybe exaggerated the pain? I've heard Dr. Erwin on the phone, and he seemed confused as to why the medicine he's been given hasn't worked! I think it's called a mental disorder? Oh, an- what?"

She had paused at the expression on Hanji's face.

"I thought I was stupid, but _damn_, Petra."

"H-hey! It made sense!" Petra hissed in defence.

"No, it did not. Do you think you should be saying that about someone who hasn't been out of this miserable house in almost ten years? And not by choice, either." Hanji replied, one eyebrow raised in a mixture of amusement and disdain.

Petra focused on the floor again, this time in shame.

"...Sorry."

"Hmm. Right then!" Suddenly business-like, Hanji stood and began refilling the bath. "You need a wash."

"You didn't answer my question!"

Hanji looked up.

"Yeah, and I didn't for a reason." She smiled. "Go ask him for yourself." She added.

"Fine!" Petra stood, and strode out the door with an audible sniff of disapproval. "And he's gonna tell me all about it!" She grinned, before running off down the corridor.

"Wha- Petra your bath?" Hanji squawked as the water started overflowing. Scrabbling for the tap, she laughed as she sat in the middle of her destruction.

"What a rubbish housekeeper I am, eh…"

She peered into the corridor, from where she could hear hushed voices coming from Levi's room.

"Petra, you crazy girl." Hanji giggled. "Well, if it's like that, I guess you already fit right in here!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Hmm... so what is this mystery illness Petra has developed? Could this be leading to something serious, perhaps? *winkwink* **

**Okay, so some people have asked questions concerning the ages of Petra and Levi. I'm not going to say for definite how old they are, but they're probably both in their 20's :3 There isn't much of an age gap, but Levi is older than Petra, but not by more than 3-4 years.**

**As for Hanji and Erwin, I'd say Hanji's around 26-27, and Erwin's around 30? I'm tempted to have something going on between them two, but I also love Hanji with Moblit x'D Tell me what you think :3 **

**Finally, should I bring in members of the 104th? I'd like to have Eren/Mikasa/Armin in this at least, but I'm not sure if it should just be in passing, or if i should go into more detail.**

**Updates: I haven't worked out a specific time for them yet, but lots of people seem to do an every-Friday thing, so I might try that. Although, if I write them up earlier than expected, I'll just put them up then as well, because I know how nice it is to see someone's updated haha X3****  
><strong>

**Thank you to everyone who's reading this! I want to say that I hope you'll all stick with it 'till the bitter end aha~**


	6. Chapter 6: Amber

As the chilly spring slowly morphed into the blistering heat waves of July, Levi found himself wondering more and more about how much longer Petra would be staying with him. The thought of her leaving left a bitter taste in his mouth that Levi couldn't quite swallow down.

It was, after all, a horrible prospect.

Of course, if she did want to leave, he would let her go immediately: he wasn't the type to cling to people, and if it made her unhappy staying with him, it was her happiness that came first. Not his.

She was so full of life, so energetic, so optimistic and shining and bright that Levi had only just gotten used to the blinding feeling he received from her presence. It was like sunburn, he thought. A cliché analogy, but if Petra was a part of the solar system, it would be the Sun.

_And Levi would be Pluto._

He could only watch from a distance as all the people in her life revolved around her, absorbing her warmth. Sometimes, when it was just the two of them, it felt like all the light in the world was beating down on his pale, vampiric face. Yes, sunburn.

He'd gotten this feeling particularly strongly a few weeks prior, not long after she'd become a rather constant part in his life.

"Levi!" She had burst through the door, looking flustered and agitated. A common sight, it was true, but this time her face was painted with confusion, a question she wanted to know the answer to.

Turns out, she wanted to know "_the truth_" behind his illness after a "_revealing_" conversation with Hanji. Levi was sorry to disappoint her, but he was essentially paralysed from his tailbone downwards. And he knew that was boring, but that was the whole story. Nothing more, nothing less.

Her curiosity seemed to lessen after that, but to his dismay, so did the time she spent with him. Hanji said she was working, but her eyes were turned down and her smile was lying. Levi assumed she'd found a boyfriend. Or possibly a girlfriend, or a new pet dog, whatever.

He hadn't seen her in almost a week, and he was getting anxious. He needed his daily dose of Petra-time, after all. But he wasn't clingy, and he wasn't needy, so he said nothing. He just waited reluctantly for her to call, or visit, or even just leave him some flowers. As long as he knew she was doing okay, he would do okay too.

Levi sighed into the empty room, and had a strong sense of familiarity. His room was boring, and the sun from outside didn't reach his eyes as he stared longingly at the door.

And then someone knocked on the door, and Levi got his hopes up, something he did every time he heard that mundane sound; but of course, it was Hanji.

He relaxed back into his pillows, taking note of the unusually sombre expression on Hanji's face.

"What's up with you?" His voice sounded surprisingly melancholy. He cleared his throat.

Hanji sat down on the edge of his bed, her expression still rigid and vacant.

"Hanji, wipe that look off your face and tell me what it is." He tried to sound soothing, but instead he sounded childish and demanding.

Then Hanji turned to face him, and her next expression shocked Levi to the point of silence, And I stress, this doesn't happen often. She wore a watered down smile, her eyebrows turned up like she was preparing him for the worst, every muscle in her body tense as she licked her cracked lips and steadied her hands in her lap.

"Levi, I have something to talk to you about." Her voice was cracked like her lips, and a bolt of panic shot through Levi. He knew what she was going to say. He'd pretended to ignore the signs, but this was the proof. He closed his eyes, and nodded, swallowing all the words he wanted to say.

"It's about Petra."

The pain shot through him again, but this time it didn't go away. It stayed inside him, reverberating his insides, every jolt repeating the words that had been uttered from Hanji's lips.

His expression must have told Hanji not to carry on, it told her to stop talking, or maybe just to hug him and tell him that he shouldn't worry, that Petra would definitely be fine. But she didn't

"She's...Had this problem for a while now. A problem with her heart. Erwin said it would be fine, but...she's gotten worse."

"Is that the reason she hasn't been visiting?" His voice was firm and calm, but tears threatened his calm demeanour, and his hands were clenched so tightly you could see the bone through his translucent skin.

"Yes. And she's going to be hospitalised, but before that, she wanted to see you." Levi closed his eyes.

"Is she here now?" His voice was a whisper.

Hanji smiled in response, and nodded softly towards the door.

How long she'd been standing there, Levi didn't know, all he could think was how thin she was. He'd seen her, what, a week ago? Her faint smile was too big for her thin face, and her clothes hung loosely around her bony form.

He didn't even realise Hanji had gone until he felt arms being wrapped around him, warm tears soaking into his pyjama top as Petra cried softly, not with sadness, but with frustration.

He reached up to hug her back, and he felt hot, salty tears well in his eyes. He pressed his face into her glossy hair and felt at home, the home she had created for him, the home that was going to be taken away, perhaps forever.

She puled back and smiled, and this time it wasn't too big for her face. She was beautiful, and she was warm, and that never lasted, Levi reminded himself.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, and Levi hated it. Hated that she felt like this was her fault, hated seeing what she had been reduced to.

Levi responded by pulling back, and staring at her, his eyes locked on hers in a severe fashion.

Petra straightened up, but didn't lose eye contact with him.

"Erwin told me about the operation overseas." She tried to sound cheerful, but the tear tracks on her cheeks contradicted it.

"Yeah."

"Are you going to go? It could work, y'know. Erwin told me about the odds of it working, and they're actually pretty high. Yo-"

"Well, looks like I have no choice now. We're both going to be sucking up to the painkillers pretty soon, huh?"

But Petra seemed confused. "Hanji told me you weren't going to do it?"

"She told you right. But I just decided. If you're going to try and get better, then I will too."

She smiled, and it was too big for her face, but Levi didn't care.

"I knew you would go for it!" She teased, and prodded him in the ribs.

"I can't be letting you suffer by yourself, obviously." His voiced matching her mischievous tone.

"Oh, Mr Ackerman, I advise you to think up some non-medical ways to flirt with women." She poked him square between the eyes and grinned.

"Hey, Petra." He reached out and grabbed her hand, causing her to jump and blush, and it seemed luminous on her pale face.

"Y-yes?" Her facade seemed to crack slightly as she saw the serious expression on his face, and her face crumpled back into one of a person trying to be happy for someone else's sake.

He leaned in and kissed her, and he felt her breath hitch in surprise before returning the favour. It was only when he tasted salty tears that he leant back slightly, and looked her fully in the eyes, brimming with tears.

"You know, that may be our first and last kiss." She smiled a happy and sad smiled, and slowly tucked a strand of his hair back behind his ear.

He stared at her eyes: they were mesmerising, and Levi knew he wouldn't forget them. They were filled with love and despair, but they were amber and honey and sunshine. Levi felt the full power of Petra's sunshine powers burning him, the loving sunburn. He pressed his face into her hair, and smelt the faint aroma of perfume and soil.

"Petra?"

"What is it?" He felt her words vibrate against his head.

"Don't die."

"Mm. Same goes to you."

* * *

><p><strong>A\N I know, I'm a horrible person.<strong>

**I've had so many exams/tests over the past month or two, that I've barely had time for anything else. I know that's a rubbish reason, but it's the only one I've got ;-;**

_**But it's all over now**_

**Yes, I shall be keeping to an every 2 week schedule- one week for my other Rivetra fic, "A Slight Inconvenience", and one week for "The Healing Process"! I hope that sounds okay!**

**But thank you to anyone who reads this, and please leave reviews telling me what you think and how I could improve!( Also, a BIG sorry to sanitaryunicorns on my instagram who has waited about 2 months for this. ****You deserve a medal for patience friend XD)**

**Thank you all again, and I hope you have a great day/night/whatever ^_^**


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